Chef Charlie Palmer And Four Seasons Vet Christopher Hunsberger Are Launching A Food-And-Wine-Focused Hotel Br...

Photo Credit: Appellation

Celebrated American chef Charlie Palmer and hotel industry veteran Christopher Hunsberger are getting into the hotel business. This week, the Napa Valley residents announced the launch of their culinary focused hotel brand, Appellation. Appellation, meaning “to give a name to a place,” will cultivate community around food and the role it plays in bringing people together, while exuding ‘approachable luxury’ in accommodations and service. The brand’s initial new-build hotels will debut in iconic leisure destinations in Idaho with Sun Valley (2023) and in California with  Healdsburg (2023) and Pacific Grove (2024).

Photo Credit: Appellation

Food is definitely the focus here, with elements such as lobbies with interactive prep stations to pantries on each guest floor filled with local artisan products and curated cookbook libraries. “Appellations were created as a promise of authenticity – an earned designation that could exist nowhere else but here. The first appellations centered on food, just as we do today. That name felt appropriate as we create what we saw lacking for today’s luxury traveler – hotels specifically built around a destination’s distinct culinary experiences,” said Chief Executive Officer Charlie Palmer, who has received more than 20 Michelin stars and numerous James Beard Foundation accolades. He currently licenses and consults on 15 highly profitable hotel F&B outlets averaging 1.25 million covers per year through Charlie Palmer Collective, along with investing in a handful of hotels.

Photo Credit: Appellation

“We’re flipping the traditional ‘hotel first, restaurant second’ notion on its head and setting a new standard for immersion in local culture and community through food. With Appellation, the intersection of culinary and hospitality is seamless. It is the hotel experience both of us have always wanted,” added Chief Operating Officer Christopher Hunsberger, who met more than 20 years ago when Palmer became the first celebrity chef to enter a licensing agreement with Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels, a program that was led by Hunsberger as global head of product. Hunsberger, who spent more than thirty years in strategic leadership roles with Four Seasons, left after holding positions as President of the Americas and Global Chief Human Resources Officer.

Photo Credit: Appellation

Destinations are deliberately chosen to be gathering grounds for today’s makers, growers and artisans while simultaneously meeting market demand for accommodations. The hotels will range in size with the initial planned properties ranging from 72 to 225 rooms. All will feature a signature Charlie Palmer restaurant and bar, interactive culinary demonstrations, robust experiential programming, meetings and event space, pool, spa and fitness centers. Select hotels, such as Appellation Sun Valley, will also offer residences.

Photo Credit: Appellation

Hunsberger and Palmer’s vision for the brand extends beyond the guest experience, as a company that builds hotels that truly connect, engage and serve their local communities. Equally important to the founders, it will become a company that develops the next generation of great chefs, hoteliers, artists and hospitality professionals. Palmer and Hunsberger are committed to tapping local talent and even building employee housing at each Appellation property where possible.

Photo Credit: Appellation

In addition to the first three hotels currently under development, plans are already underway for hotels in several other distinctive locations.